Waterlogged:




This morning
K5, DFA100macro with 1.7xTC
ISO200, 0.5s @ f16
Forum resizing softens it, please click through to large size.

When it's sold separately, but you can find them with a film camera, often badly described. I've found several lenses that way and ended up with a drawful of ME's etc.

I thought of that first shot Tim when I saw this thread.

Not the best bokeh but possibly the best value bokeh (still can be found for a tenner) for the ever-so-'umble M50mmf1.7 ?

Cheating, yes imo but I don't see an alternative.

I had something very similar sounding with my K20D (along with every other fault going). The diagnosis was that an internal screw (I think from the tripod socket assembly on the base) had worked itself loose and lodged itself under the magnetic sensor plate, preventing the sensor from moving properly.

Mine was fixed under warranty, so I don't know the cost to repair. If it is that problem and if hasn't damaged the sensor then I don't think it should be expensive. In fact regardless of the age of the camera I would ask them to do it for nothing because it's something that shouldn't happen - someone might have neglected to glue the screws in place during the assembly process.

It's just so difficult to compare at that phase of the Moon because there is so little detail to see, 95% of the Moon will look washed out however it is photographed. The telescope will come into it's own when the Moon looks at it's best, the available light is so much less and the atmospheric conditions are right. You can get a very good single shot then but focus stacking can give fantastic results. And of course you can use eyepieces to increase the magnification for some nice close, surface detail.

I am very impressed with the above shot, that's one of the best I've seen with a long lens.

But I wouldn't expect much more from Sammy's telescope effort for the reasons I have set out.

This is a very good effort Sam. Actually I think it's a lot better than shots I've seen with long lenses but that quality is less evident due to the phase of the Moon and lack of crater detail. I find 4 to 8 days into the cycle gives the best results and the equivalent on the wane. The clarity of the air makes a big difference and cold winter nights are best as the air holds less moisture, plus shooting times are more convenient.

I have a very useful and very reasonably priced GSO 40mm eyepiece which incorporates a T thread. You can attach it direct to the camera with a T ring, or you can attach it to a lens with the appropriate adaptor.

I don't think very is any concern on the future of the Pentax name.

My concern is the financial health of the parent company. The photographic division is one minority part of a much bigger organisation. Ricoh has seen its profits and share price slump and is embarking on a massive cost cutting exercise. Unless they turn their fortunes around then one small division will not thrive.

They are very good looking family album shots. The image quality seems very good for this sample of shots and for the other sets too (white balance seems off for the vegetables).

The main problem I would have is that large depth of field mentioned in the initial impressions review and it really stands out with these shots. The background in the flower shot is just far too detailed. I am not initially impressed by the blur vignette in the dog portrait as the blurring impinges upon the left of the face and the ears, it looks a bit odd. I think the family albums set ideally illustrates the strength of this camera and its market, high quality snapshots for large budgets. However, the lack of creative possibility due to that wide dof would be an issue for me.

I listen to music most of the day and always when I am on the PC. I am currently listening to one of may favourite albums, Trompe Le Monde by The Pixies.